Nut-cracker



(No Model.)

P. J. RABBETH.

NUT GRAGKER.

No. 397,023. Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

a Z m I WKM/W N. PETERS. Photo Lvlho mplwr. WusllinglmL u. c.

STATES FRANCIS J. RABBETH, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

NUT-CRACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,023, dated January29, 1889.

Application filed February 24, 1888- Serial No. 265,168. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. RABBETH, Y

of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have in ventedan Improvement in Nut-Crackers, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a nut-cracker of that class in which twopivot-ed members are provided with jaws or recesses to engage the nut tobe cracked, and with handles by which the said jaws are pressedtogether.

In one class of nut-crackers of this kind the members are connected byalink, and the pivotal connection between the link and the j awhandles isoffset to one side of the latter, the said jaw-handles being provided onboth sides with devices to engage the nut, and the distance between thejaw-faces being varied ac cording as one or the other side of the jawsis used, and thus affording a certain degree of adj ustability betweenthe jaws, to enable the nut-crackers to be used easily with nuts ofdifferent size. In other constructions the j aw-faces are extended aconsiderable distance from the pivot, so that a larger nut can beproperlyengaged at a point more remote from the pivot than the properpoint for engaging a smaller nut. This latter construction, however,varies the leverage derived from the handles, giving less power to cracka larger than to crack a smaller nut.

The object of the present invention is to produce a nut-cracker that canbe readily adjusted to operate upon nuts of all sizes with the handlesin the most convenient position for the user and with the maximum amountof leverage for all-sized nuts.

The nut-cracker embodying this invention comprises two members, eachhaving a handle portion and a jaw or face to engage the nut, and anadjustable link or connection between said members, by which the ends ofthe members that are pivotally connected together may be placed at anyrequired distance apart, the adjustment being quickly and easilyaccomplished.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a nut-cracker embodying this invention;Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the end portion thereof, show ing thelink or connector in side elevation; and Fig. 3, a sectional detail online x 00, Fig. 1.

The nutcracker comprises two members, a b, the ends a b of whichconstitute the handles by which the implement is held and operated,.andthe said members are provided near their other ends with suitable jaw-faces, a b to engage the nut to be cracked. The said members areconnected by an intermediate bar or link, the construction of which willbe hereinafter described, and one is pivoted or fulcrumed with relationto the other by ahingejoint (shown at 0) between the member aand theconnecting-link, so that their handles a b may be moved toward or fromone another to close or open the jaws a b in the usual manner.

In order to provide for varying the distance between the jaws a W, sothat they may engage a nut of any size when the handles a b are in themost convenient position for operating said jaws, the said members a bare connected by an intermediate link or bar, d, the connection betweenwhich and one of the said members is made adjustable, so as to vary thelength of the said bar that is interposed between the members, and thusvary the distance between the jaws. The construction of this connectingbar or link and of the device for adjusting its point of connection withone of the members-or, in other words, the length of said bar that isinterposed between the said members-may be varied considerably whileretaining the feature of easy adj ustability, and the specificconstruction shown, which will now be described, is strong, durable, andefficient, and is believed to be the best now known to me. The saidadjustable connection between the bar d and the member I) is made by anut, 6, having an external thread working in a threaded socket, 19 inthe member Z), and having an internal thread that engages an externalthread on the bar d. The said connecting link or bar 61 and nut e arepreferably connected by a thread of steep pitch, so that the rotation ofthe nut produces a rapid longitudinal movement of the bar therein andconsequent movement of the jaws toward or from one another.

It is not essential that the nut 6 should be connected by a screw-threadwith the memher I); but by having such eonneetion provided with a threadof opposite pitch or inclination to that of the bar (7 the longitudinalmovement of the nut in its socket is added to that of the bar in thenut, thus produeinj a more rapid movement of the jaws with relation toone another by a given rotary movement of the nut than would he produeedit' but one thread only were used.

In order to prevent the member l1 t'rom rotating on the bard, so as tobringthehandles out ot' line with one another, the said bar isflattened, as shown at (l, and works in a (orrespondinglv-shapedopeningb in themember 11, as shown in Fig. I

The end ot the bar I] nla 'be lei't of full diameter, as shown at (1' 'li e'. 2, and will thus form a stop toprevent the said bar d from beingturned whollvoutolthe nut 12, and thereby disengaged l'rom themember 1) ol the nuteraeker.

The aet ion ol'both the external and internal threads of the nut e whenrotated tends to move the jaws in the same direet'itm, and the jaws maythus readily be moved to the desired position with relation to oneanother-by a qniektu'rn of the said nut, whieh ean easily be operated bythe tingerof the hand holding" the nut to be eraeked between the jaws.

It is obvious that the (fOllSilllti' iOil olf the aifljustable eonneetorbetween the jaws may be modified in various ways without mat erially(changing its prinei ile oi operation, and the inventiiini isnot limitedto the (:(mstrnetion oi said members and adjustablyeonneeted with theother oti said members, as set forth, whereby the distanee ol' the jawends from one another may be varied, substantially as deseribed.

2. The eombination ot' the two handled jaw members ot' al'lllbtl'flth'tl' with a threaded bar pivot al I eon neetei'l with oneof said membersanda nut eo-operating with said bar, eon neetied with theother of said members, substantially as deseribed.

The eombination oi the members Ct 1:, the threaded bar (7, pivotally(amneeted with one ol' said members, and the adjustingqint havingiixxt'ernal and internal threads of opposite inelinz'ition, oneeo-operating with said bar (I and the other (to-operating with the otherol said members ot' the nnt-eraeker, subst antia'l'lv as deseribei'l.

In test imonv whereoi' l have signed my name to this S1)('(lilC2lll()llin the preseneeoltwosubseribing witnesses.

FRANCIS J. RABBETH.

\Vitnesses:

.I'os. VI. LIVERMORE, M. E. HILL.

